The Manger

Chipping away, the stonemason wiped sweat from his forehead. Another hot day as he lifts large pieces of stone and places them together molding and shaping with fire. More orders were waiting. "There are always people needing our work", he thought. "At least this one is easy, and doesn't have to be perfect. It's just for animals to feed out of". He continues to work as fast as he can knowing this feeding trough wasn't special, it just serves a purpose - nourish the animals. 

After several hours, he finishes the order and delivers it to a small Inn on the edge of town. There's not much room in the stable, but it holds enough space to house the few animals that belong to the Inn Keepers. As they placed the feed trough in the stable room, they fill it with water and move on to the next project. 

They would've never understood that they were actually building an alter that day. That soon, a king would be placed on this stone trough and allow himself to be the sacrificial lamb on which all of mankind would feed and become whole again. 


Luke 2:4-7

4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

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